Kyrkans

Kyrkans is the genitive form of kyrka in Swedish and is used to indicate possession or association with a church. The base noun kyrka means a church, i.e., a building used for Christian worship. The definite singular form is kyrkan, and kyrkans is used when attributing something to or belonging to the church, as in kyrkans tak (the church’s roof) or kyrkans tradition. It is not a plural form; plural definite would be kyrkorna, and the possessive plural would be kyrkornas, not kyrkans.

The word kyrka derives from Old Norse kirkja, ultimately from Latin ecclesia; Swedish inherited the term through early contact with church Latin and related Germanic forms. In Swedish texts, kyrkan and its genitive kyrkans appear commonly in discussions of church buildings, liturgy, history, and theology.

In contemporary Sweden, kyrkan is a general term for the Christian church and may refer to the Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan) as well as to other denominations. Since 2000, Svenska kyrkan has been administratively separated from the state, though it remains a major religious organization in the country. The form kyrkans often appears in official or descriptive contexts, such as architectural descriptions, archival materials, and religious education.

Related terms include kyrka, kyrkor, and Svenska kyrkan.